Dobie swimmers capture 33rd Winter Classic

Citizen staff

Published 6:00 pm, Tuesday, January 31, 2006

The Longhorns held off 10 squads, including runner-up winner Pasadena which tabulated 77 points and was powered by Kristine Kelly's dazzling performance in the freestyle events in which she captured three gold medals and was named Outstanding Competitor for the third consecutive Winter Classic.

Alief Elsik captured third with 62 points, followed by Sam Rayburn with 54 and Pasadena Memorial with 42.

Dobie's effort was directed by the duo of Brian Sawyer and Erick Zuber. Both walked away with a pair of victories. Sawyer easily won the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. In the 200, he finished in 2:03.81, while in the 500 Sawyer crusied to a 5:46.42 time. Both times, Pasadena's Jacob McSwain had to settle for second place.

Zuber won the 100 breaststroke in 1:12.27 and the 100 butterfly in 1:03.63. On the girls side, Kim Do, just a freshman, won the 100 breaststroke in 1:20.26, nipping Rayburn's Jenna Taylor by just over a second.

Kelly began her campaign for the top female award with the day's second event, the 200 freestyle.

The senior coasted to a 2:14.05 time, besting Dobie's Sarah Woernley, who scored a 2:20.26 time and Little Cypress-Mauriceville's 2:20.40 time.

Kelly came back in the 50 freestyle and fought off Crosby's Moriah Lamb for the victory. Kelly was clocked at 26.54 seconds, Lamb at 28.77. Sam Rayburn's Lauren Edwards placed third at 29.22 seconds.

Kelly finished her strong effort with a win in the 100 freestyle, nabbing the time of 58.66 seconds which was enough to hold off Woernley and her 1:04.68 time.

Kelly, who is regarded as one of the area's best backstroke athletes, decided to swim different events this season and expand her repertoire.

"I had some good races, but I have been training very hard and felt a bit fatigued," Kelly said. " I wanted to swim events that I don't normally compete in, and see how I would do. Competing in the 50 and 100 freestyle gave me a chance to see how my sprint training is coming. I was happy with the results and also honored to receive the award."

The Eagles also received first place from Adrian Hernandez in the 200 IM with a time of 2:31.14. Dobie's Brandon Nguyen was runner-up, three seconds back.

In diving, Memorial's Lauran Edwards, competing against only one other diver, captured first place with 259.55 points. Rayburn freshman Kevin McDermott was tops for the boys with a 235.55 tally.

South Houston's Travis Cook captured the 50 freestyle as did teammate Robert Ochoa in the 100 freestyle.

The boys' Outstanding Male Competitor went to Alief Taylor's Marty Myers. Like Kelly, he too won three events, a pair of freestyles and the 100 backstroke.